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Shiva is one of the gods of
the Trinity. He is said to be the 'god of destruction'. Shiva is married to
the Goddess Parvati (Uma). Parvati represents Prakriti, which means perishable matter. Lord Shiva sits
in a meditative pose on Mount Kailash against the white
background of the snow-capped Himalayas.
Lord Shiva not only represents the supreme state of perfection in man, but in
his very pose indicates the way to reach it as well. The state of meditation
shown in Shiva's posture is again symbolic. Meditation is the final gateway
to Self-realization. On the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri,
Shiva performs the ecstatic dance of realization. Shiva is said to have a
third eye known as gyana chakshu.
Gyana chakshu literally
means eye of wisdom. Shiva is also known as Gangadhara.
which literally means, 'the carrier of Ganga' (river). Shiva is
sometimes shown with his trident (trisula) in his
hand. The trisula is a trident which symbolise's the destruction of the ego with its
three-fold desires of the body, mind and intellect. Nataraja
is Lord Shiva in the dance pose.
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